Restaurants open their doors to women who feel unsafe

Several South African business, mostly based in the Western Cape, have embraced a new initiative, offering safe spaces to South African women.

The news and national mood has been dominated by what President Cyril Ramaphosa has called a “dark period”.

He was reacting to the murders of several women, including UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana, boxer Leighandre Jegels, university student Jesse Hess, horse rider Meghan Cremer, and Cape Town woman Lynette Volschenk.

Raptor Room, a restaurant in Cape Town said in a Facebook post: “If you are ever walking in the street close to us and you feel unsafe, just come inside. You don’t need to buy anything. If you are here and you need to walk to your car alone, ask us to walk with you to make sure you are safe. If you are ever in our space and you don’t feel safe, please tell us.”

Other businesses soon followed.

La Mouette, a restaurant in Sea Point said in a Facebook post: “It is a tough time for our beloved Cape Town this week. There are no words left, only the actions that define us.

“Both La Mouette and Upper Bloem Restaurant want to follow The Raptor Room’s example and initiate a #comein policy. If you are in our area in Sea Point or Green Point and you feel in any way unsafe, please COME IN – we will wait with you for your Uber, taxi or friends or one of us will walk with you to your car if needs be.”

Obi restaurant offered women a safe space in Long Street.

In Gauteng, Tonic gin bar and Tanen wine bar also adopted the initiative.

It was not only restaurants and bars that made the offer.

Inkfinity Tattoo Studio in Parow, Cape Town, also supported the initiative.

DA MP Dean MacPhearson lauded Bagdrop, a Cape Town luggage storage company that also supported the initiative.

Toscana, a pizzeria in Claremont, Cape Town, the area where Uyinene was raped and murdered, has also offered its premises as a safe space.

Der Anker, a restaurant at the V&A Waterfront has also pledged support for the initiative.

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